


The Value of Life

by erismalfoy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Infidelity, M/M, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-03
Updated: 2013-04-03
Packaged: 2017-12-07 09:51:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/747137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erismalfoy/pseuds/erismalfoy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry's life changes forever after the Halloween of his sixth year. As time comes to leave Hogwarts and with no one to turn to except Snape, Harry sees no other option then to trust that the other man won't take his vengeance out on a child.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This will be slash, so if you don't like it then don't read. The story does not have a beta, so there will probably be mistakes. I will not be updating regularly.
> 
> Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Through the drizzle and mist, I saw the castle waiting for the arriving students like it did every September. With a sense of complete disbelief, I felt my eyes start to prickle and the odd sensation of needing to cry and laugh at the same time, which had become a common occurrence since the beginning of the summer.

"I can do this." I whispered quietly to myself. "I'll be perfectly fine and no one will notice."

A firm hand sat so suddenly on my shoulder that I jumped in shock. I quickly wiped my eyes with my shirt sleeve, not wanting anyone to see the evidence of myself pity.

"What's the matter with you?" Hermione's prim tone came from his left; I turned to find her standing by Ron who had a flushed faced. "You jumped like a spooked horse."

"Sorry, wasn't expecting it." I turned to leave, hoping they would get the hint and let me walk to the castle alone. The footsteps following in my path were answer enough. Sighing at the prospect of having to endure the usual questions about my summer, I started walking faster. If I couldn't be alone, then I wasn't going to take my time either.

Ron and Hermione walked close on either side of me, almost like they were preventing me from escaping. Their looming presences were unnerving after an entire summer with my relatives.

It wasn't long before we arrived to the ancient stone castle. I didn't wait to see if they were still following, instead I headed straight for the Gryffindor table hoping they wouldn't keep trying to ask questions that I wasn't going to answer.

They of course continued to pester me throughout the entire feast. I quickly made my excuses when it was over and practically ran to my room.

It wasn't that I was angry with them - at least not yet I will be soon if they don't leave me alone- but I just really didn't want to discuss anything with them.

Especially when they don't seem to understand that I don't need to talk about Sirius; after all what good would talking about a dead man do?

The constant badgering didn't stop in fact it had only became worse as the days continue. They didn't get the hint, not even after an entire week of the silent treatment after Hermione had carelessly asked me why I was so bothered by the death of a man I hardly knew. Instead of hindering their endless enthusiasm to drive me insane it instead made Hermione decide that I must be depressed, it was the only conclusion she could come to for my hostility. That was when I started to ignore them completely.

Hermione never stopped to think it might be the insensitive comments about my parents, my godfather, and my only living relatives. Not to mention the constant personal attacks. She probably meant well, Hermione always did- at least in her mind-, but it didn't excuse her thoughtless remarks.

Ron was no better. He didn't use Hermione's direct approach of course, that wasn't his style. No, I preferred Hermione's much better. Ron wouldn't talk to me for days, and then out of the blue he would remark on the weather and start talking normally with me. There was no talk of death or Voldemort, or anything other than the weather. Once he had started by mentioning Quidditch, it was probably because we were in the middle of practice, but Ron never was one for being tactful. It had worked at first; I was so desperate to have my friends back that I didn't realize it was a trap. Once he noticed my guard was down, he would bring up the last year. Sirus, Umbridge, Snape. Anything that was a topic that wasn't something I wanted to talk about. It hurt worse because like any other excellent chess player, Ron had played off my weakness, something only those closest to me would know; my loneliness.

It was a cold Halloween this year, something that didn't help my increasingly somber thoughts. Halloween had always been extremely unpleasant for me. No one ever noticed, or just ignored my unusually sober attitude every year. In the past I would play a game of exploding snap with Seamus, help Neville in the greenhouses, in third year I even went with Hermione to the library to just read.

This year though I didn't have anyone to distract me. Hermione and Ron might have been the beginning of the worried friends constantly talking my ear off, but they certainly weren't the last. Ginny was the next one that decided that there was something wrong with me. Neville soon followed, Dean and Seamus weren't too far behind after that either.

It didn't matter how much I told them that I was okay, or how much I smiled, laughed, or just was there. They all thought that something was fundamentally wrong with me. I had even seen Hermione just last week whispering to Professor McGonagall; it wasn't hard to figure out who they were talking about when they were trying to discreetly look at me, neither one of them were successful.

The decision to miss the Halloween feast wasn't very hard. Sure it would probably cause more doubt to my sanity, but if I did attend I wasn't very sure that I would have any left by tomorrow anyways.

An abandoned classroom near Myrtle's bathroom was the perfect hideout. Students rarely missed a feast, and if they did they weren't going to risk going near Myrtle's haven.

The room was dusty but had obviously been used recently. It didn't suffer from the overwhelming feeling of disuse like some of the other empty classrooms in the castle did.

I settled against a wall, letting the quiet help relax me.

Like every year I let my thoughts drift to the unknown and what ifs. Imagining what my life would have been like if my parents were still alive. If Sirius hadn't been taken to Azkaban, if he hadn't fallen through the veil. Sometimes I even wondered what would have been different if my aunt and uncle hadn't hated me.

And like every year before I tried not to, but I couldn't help but resent my parents for dying. No it wasn't them dying that filled me with a bitter longing; it was the fact that they could have switched sides. I never understood why they insisted on being in danger if all they needed to do to keep safe was to become dark. Everyone always said how great James Potter was, how kind and sweet Lily Evans was. If that was true why didn't they care enough about their own son to save him?

They knew the prophecy. If they had told Voldemort he would have spared all of them. I could have had his family. I knew Voldemort would have allowed them to live. After all they were powerful if what everyone always said was true, they would have had made good allies. In my dreams I could hear my mother's voice begging, and then her dying. But she had been given a chance to live, one she wouldn't take causing me to live a life being alone—maybe for forever.

The silence was invaded by footsteps a short time later.

I jump to my feet, intending to hide behind something in case it was Filch, but I never got the chance. The door opened seconds later and my eyes locked onto the pale features of Draco Malfoy.

I didn't know what to say; I hadn't expected to be found and definitely not by the Slytherin Prince. I couldn't tell if the other boy was suffering from a similar shock of seeing someone else, or if he was just ignoring me. Either way I wasn't going to be the first one to talk.

It didn't take long for the blonde to break the silence.

"What are you doing here Potter?"

"I could ask you the same."

"Yes I suppose you could but I won't answer. I guess the better question is why you aren't at the feast?" Malfoy shut the door the door just as quietly as he had opened it, never looking away from me.

"Again I could ask you the same thing."

"Are you trying to annoy me? If you are its working." He said it so matter-of-factly that I started to laugh. I hadn't meant to annoy him, but it seemed that it just naturally happened when I spoke to Malfoy. Somehow I found that incredibly sad, which brought back that damned feeling of the need to cry—something in my present state of hysterics I couldn't prevent. I probably looked like a mess.

"Have you gone mad?" The voice was closer than earlier, something that I found little comfort in.

"No. Maybe." It was hard to stop crying once you start, especially when not even five minutes before you were contemplating why your life is so terrible. I knew I would never live this down. By morning Malfoy would have already sent a picture of my tear streaked blotchy face to The Daily Prophet and everyone will know how The-Boy-Who-Lived was deranged. "Probably."

I wasn't sure but it almost looked like Malfoy's lips twitched just a little bit at his confession.

"That's not very reassuring."

"I don't suppose it is." The crying was coming slower, but the sadness I had felt earlier was returning. I didn't feel like leaving though. Malfoy's presence provided an escape, for just a little while at least. "You never answered earlier. What are you doing here?"

"I don't remember you answering either."

"Well I was here first, so wouldn't that mean I get an answer?" I asked, hoping he would just respond instead of dragging them back into the vicious circle of finger pointing.

"That doesn't even make sense. I'm guessing you won't leave it alone though so I'll answer you. This is where I come sometimes." Malfoy said, amusement coloring his voice.

"That's not a proper answer though!" I tired to say it without sounding like a whining child, but when Malfoy actually smiled at me, I knew I failed. A smiling Malfoy was something I had never seen before though and I couldn't help but stare a little. "You should do that more often."

"What, not answer properly?" The confused question brought me back to the reality, and to my complete embarrassment I realized I had said it out loud and that I was blushing. Not seeing how it could make it any worse, I answered honestly.

"No smile." Instead of being embarrassed like I would have been, Malfoy just smiled even bigger.

"Why are you really here Potter?" He asked.

My shoulders drooped, physically feeling my semi-peaceful mood disappear.

"You know we've just had our first conversation where one of us weren't trying to humiliate the other."

"Yes I did notice that, but stop trying to distract me. Why are you here and not at the feast?" Malfoy said it gently but I knew his patience was running out. What I didn't understand was why I was even thinking about answering.

"I-I don't like Halloween." I looked up to see what the Slytherin thought of that, and was surprised to see the assessing look I was getting. It was overwhelming and was making me nervous. "My parents died on Halloween you know. Well of course you know, everyone does. Except they all seem to forget, and they expect me to just be perfectly normal. But this year I didn't have anything to distract me like usual, so I decided to come here to hide because it's out of the way."

I flushed at the look Malfoy was giving me. It probably wasn't meant to seem so harsh I told myself. What did I say that made the bigger boy so angry?

"Why didn't you have a distraction?" His voice was calm, all playfulness from earlier gone. I felt like I had lost something I didn't even know I had to begin with. "And what do you mean by perfectly normal?"

"Well my friends didn't know they need to distract me because they don't understand about how I feel about today. Since I'm not exactly speaking to any of them at the moment I couldn't just tag a long and hope for the best either." I said trying to decide how to word what I said next. "Well I meant they all expect me to be their perfect little Gryffindor. Some want me to be just like my father, others don't want the reminder of my mother. Then there's the dozens of other things people assume are what I'm supposed to be like because of what I did as a baby. That doesn't make much sense but none of my life really does."

Malfoy didn't answer right away and it made me wonder what he was thinking. It was surprisingly calm sitting here like this and I hoped the other boy wasn't going to leave because I put my foot in my mouth.

"Why did you just tell me any of that when you said yourself your friends don't even know?"

"Huh?"

Malfoy made a noise in the back of his throat that didn't sound very positive.

"I mean why tell me, someone that you probably consider your worst enemy your secrets? Aren't you afraid I'll tell everyone? And why haven't you told your friends?"

"Well you're not my worst enemy, the Dark Lord is. I'm pretty sure there might be a picture of me crying on the cover of The Daily Prophet tomorrow morning, but well you can't have everything right. I'm not really sure why I'm talking to you at all really; it might be because I really have gone insane." I was unsure of whether I should answer the last one, but it wasn't like Malfoy didn't already have enough damaging information. "My friends aren't the most understanding when it comes to something they don't think fits into their perception of me. To them I'm supposed to be a hero. I guess their one of those people who mistakes me for the reincarnation of Godric Gryffindor."

"Hmm." Malfoy was annoyingly silent as he stared at me. "Are you not supposed to be the hero then?"

"No, I'm just supposed to be Harry."

There wasn't anything said after that. Both boys sat with their own thoughts, occasionally glancing at the other one.

"I don't particularly want to go back to the dorms tonight."

"Me either." I looked back into the grey eyes.

"Do you want to stay here with me?"

"Yes."

Neither of them could have known that the answer to that question would have a direct impact on the future of not just their lives, but millions of others.


	2. Chapter Two

"I'm pregnant." The words weren't even past his lips and Harry knew he would regret coming here.

"Don't be absurd Potter." He expected doubt, a sneer, especially disgust, but not anger. "Everyone knows a wizard can't become pregnant."

"Huh? But-"

"But what the rules don't matter because you're the precious Boy-Who-Lived?" The sneer finally appeared on the shallow face; he had probably been waiting since Harry knocked on his door to unleash it.

"No I-"

"Oh let me guess, you're really the Girl-Who-Lived?" Amusement shone in the dark eyes, and Harry barely resisted the urge to curse the greasy git. He had thought they were passed this.

"If you would let me finish a sentence you might find out!" He really didn't come here to fight but like always it didn't matter what he intended, someone else always had other plans. "I apologize I didn't come here to earn another detention. I need your help."

Harry would have laughed at the shocked expression- he seriously doubted anyone had seen Severus Snape's eyes that wide before- but he was still too anxious to enjoy the humor. He wasn't sure what he would do if Snape said no.

"What could you possibly need my help with?"

"A potion." Harry didn't know why those two simple words caused even more anger in his professor, but he wasn't going to stick around to find out. He didn't need the verbal conformation to know he had found his answer. He was almost to the door when a simple question stopped him.

"Why would I possibly want to help such an ungrateful little bastard like you?"

Not turning around Harry answered the only way he could, honestly.

"You're a spy." It was the truth, but it wasn't why he wanted Snape to help him.

"Yes I know that Potter, if you remember that then you should also remember me being in the room with you when Dumbledore told you." Snape said it so condescendingly that Harry couldn't help but turn back and look him straight in the eye.

"That's not what I meant." There was no obvious change in the man, but Harry still saw the eyes darken and the jaw tighten.

"What is it you need from me Potter?" It was too quick, too easy, but he knew when to press his luck.

"A potion, but I'm not sure which one."

"You truly are a Gryffindor. Exposing a secret, attempted blackmail, and for what? Only foolish little boys don't know when to be prepared-" Harry shuddered at the leer directed his way "-and if you are somehow telling the truth, which I sincerely doubt, then you're clearly as foolish as they come."

"I don't know what potion I need because I'm not sure how I became pregnant!" Harry said it without any real thought of what it would sound like, and after hearing it he quickly continued so he wouldn't have to be mocked once again. "Like you said wizards can't get pregnant so how is it that I am? The only way is if I have creature blood, but I looked it up. The Potter's never married any, and unless there's some huge family secret about an illegitimate child, well that leaves my mother."

"We both know that isn't possible, your mother was muggleborn." Harry let it be left unsaid that if anyone were to know it would be Snape, after all he grew up down the street from his mother. "So that leaves your mother having an affair, or your father."

"I checked that too. There were witnesses of my mother giving birth, so I can't be James Potter's son." It was still hard to say. "I need your help with a paternity potion. The only one I found mention of in any of the books in the library were only for babies, apparently it's not a very popular subject for a Hogwarts student."

"You will need the linage potion, until that is made there isn't anything you can do but wait." Snape paused in thought. "Unless of course you have some idea who your father might be. I have a guess at where you can start looking. Even if I'm incorrect, your father would have been Pureblood, so there still might be a clue as to what you are."

Harry was surprised at that. What could Snape know that could lead him to a guess? Harry had several when he was wondering if James Potter had given birth to him. His godfather, Sirius Black, had been at the top of the list. He had no idea though who would be on his mother's list, no one ever mentioned her in conversations; it was always about James Potter, his supposed father.

"Who?"

"Black." The simple answer made Harry's eyes widen comically.

"What? I thought about Sirius for James Potter, but for my mother?" Harry couldn't believe it.

"No, although that may be the case if it weren't for Lily considering Black an even bigger nuisance then Potter. I'm talking about the other Black."

"You can't mean Bellatrix!" That was too insane. He had some difficulty believing a man could get pregnant, but for a female to get another female pregnant. That was just too much.

"Are you being deliberately obtuse?"Of course he wasn't but the only other Black there was would be Draco Malfoy's mother, and well Harry didn't even want to think of that possibility. "I'm talking about Regulus, the mutt's brother."

"Sirius had a brother?" That was news to him. Although he never spent much time with Sirius, he would have thought having a brother would have been a topic they discussed. Especially when they were looking at the family tapestry.

Harry felt like he was being dissected the way Snape was looking at him.

"What?" He said defensively.

"Black never told you about his brother?" Snape asked. "I would say I'm surprised, but considering Black's relationship with his family after he was sorted, well it's to be expected."

Harry wanted to ask what he meant. But that would just show how much he truly didn't know Sirius, how much Sirius didn't tell Harry, and it hurt to know that Sirius hadn't trusted Harry to know about whom he was when he was younger.

"It might also explain—if my suspicions are correct—why Lily hated Black."

"Why would my mum hate Sirus? I thought it was my da-James Potter was who she hated."

"Oh she hated Potter too, but that was mainly because he never left her alone. It wasn't until seventh year that she started responding to his advances." He said in that voice he used during class, the one that made even the Slytherins listen. "She hated Black for other reasons. Part of it was due to his treatment of other students. While the Marauders were careless, the mutt would became vicious for no reason. He was very much like his cousin Bellatrix in that regard, but even Bella isn't as cruel as Black was."

He didn't know what to think hearing that. To imagine that the funny, loving man that he had known to be Sirius Black had been worse than an insane Death Eater—and while he was at Hogwarts—didn't sit well with him. It made him wonder why Lily Evans had married James Potter. Was he similar to Sirius in that regard? Had he somehow forced her into marrying him?

"Why do you think it was Regulus Black?"

"It's getting late Potter. Surely you don't want detention your last week of school?"

"You didn't answer me though. Why Regulus Black?" Harry wasn't giving up that easy, Snape was actually talking. Harry doubted he would be so forthcoming again.

"That's a discussion for another time. Your potion will be ready in three days. Now leave before I give you the detention myself."

Harry's hesitation to leave vanished with the threat. He left feeling more uncertain then before he arrived.

Three days later Harry managed to arrive with plenty of time for them to discuss his mother and who his father could be. He had been anxious to finish the potion—it still required a drop of his blood—but Snape had wanted to talk first.

"Your mother had never dated until Potter, but she did spend a lot of time with boys leading to rumors. You of all people know most rumors are far from the truth, however I was a friend of your mothers and Regulus." His words were measured; he was saying just enough to get his point across, but not elaborating more than he had to. "If Regulus had only been a few months older he would have been in our year; your mother was one of the youngest in our year. Unlike most Gryiffindors Lily had friends in all of the houses, but her closest friends were in Slytherin."

It was nice hearing about his mother, but Harry had to wonder why Snape wanted to tell him this now. Why not when he arrived at Hogwarts? What was it that he was trying to avoid?

"She spent almost as much time in the Slytherin common room as she did in the Gryffindor one. While I usually spent an hour or two in the common room, most of my time was spent in the potions lab; I wasn't always in there while she was. It didn't matter though if I was in there or not, she would have been in Regulus's company." Harry didn't know why he had the feeling Snape was insinuating that they were in a relationship, before sixth year anyone would have said the same thing about him and Hermione. But those were strangers, this was their best friend. "Unlike you and Granger before your falling out though, it wasn't very innocent."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Harry asked. He couldn't help but glare at his teacher; why did he always know what Harry was thinking? "Are you saying my mom was a-a friendly girl?"

Blushing just added to his humiliation; there's no way Snape didn't know what he almost called his own mother.

"No, your mother wasn't a friendly girl."

"Then what-"

"Your mother was a very affectionate person. Hugs as greetings, kisses on the cheek. When she was with Regulus though, it was the same, but it always seemed to have a different meaning. Back then I just thought it was because she knew how much Black had hurt him, but now, well it could take on a whole new meaning."

"But didn't you stop being friends after what I saw in your pensieve?" He said it cautiously knowing how sensitive the topic was.

"I did, but they didn't."

"That can't be your only reasoning though. There has to be something else. Wouldn't they have told you?" No matter what his opinion had ever been about his potions professor, he always considered him intelligent. He also was very analytical about things, and this wouldn't be any different.

"If they couldn't trust me then they wouldn't have. Considering how I had ended my friendship with Lily, there's no doubt in my mind that they wouldn't have told me. It makes me wonder though if it is Regulus, what she was doing with a Death Eater."

"What's your other reasons. If you're trying so hard for me to be distracted then you must not want me to know."

"It's not that I don't want you to know, you'll find out eventually but if you are a Black then it's dangerous."

"What? Will the Death Eaters come after me?" That wouldn't be anything new; to him running from Death Eaters was like running from the players in Harry Hunting. He had just traded one group of predators for another when he started Hogwarts.

"No, it isn't like you would be announcing it and I have no reason to tell anyone." It went unsaid about the other father of the child, and Harry had to wonder why Snape still hadn't brought that up. It wasn't as if he didn't know who it was. "No, you should be concerned with being a Black because what creature that would make you."

None of the possibilities he had found in his research had warned of anything to be concerned about, so what could the Blacks be that even Snape was worried?

"What are they?"

"Not all of them have the gene."

"Stop stalling and just tell me already." Harry could care less about how disrespectful he was being; Snape was started to scare him and he was sure that wasn't good for the baby.

"Po—Harry you have to understand that when the Ministry labels most creatures as dark, there are actually some that are." He didn't like where this was headed. "The Blacks have their reputation for a reason. Some say that the women all have lain with Lucifer and the men eat the hearts of children."

Snape paused for dramatic effect, Harry hoped it was all for effect, because he didn't want to think of the alternative.

"Of course this is all stories the light side tell their children at night, the Blacks are monsters in their eyes. Some of them aren't far from the truth; those are the stories the Dark use." Snape amused voice was quiet but commanded you to listen; it reminded Harry of his speech on his first day of class.

"The Blacks nature comes with their creature blood. Even those who don't have enough power to inherit all of the abilities always have a darker nature. Narcissa Malfoy is proof of that; it wasn't her power level but her mother was Veela and it was more dominate." Harry shuddered; he wouldn't ever want to be at the other end of Narcissa Malfoy's wand for more than one reason.

"What are they?" Harry had enough of the story telling. He needed to know. Even if he wasn't a Black, Draco was.

"Ker."

"I have no idea what that is." Harry felt like he had just finished a good book but the ending had been more then lacking.

"You wouldn't; the ministry restricted any material from being written on it. Any one being caught mentioning them is fined ten galleons." Snape clearly thought that it was ridiculous; he was using his dunderhead voice.

"Why? What makes them so horrible?"

"There is only one mention of Ker in muggle literature and it's surprisingly accurate, to a point. It mentions them having fangs and talons, but that is only when they are transformed. Muggles believed them to only be female. For generations that was true; and for generations Blacks had Ker in their blood. The males had never been affected until close to five hundred years ago when a male was born that carried the dominate gene."

"So the males were carriers only? What changed?" Harry was fascinated but none of this explained why Snape was so hesitative to tell him.

"The child was born from the results of a pregnancy potion used by a male. That was what they determined was the catalyst. Now every Black is a carrier, but only some become a Ker on their inheritance."

"Was Regulus one?"

"No he was only a carrier, but Bellatrix is. At times I thought Black might be, but he wouldn't have stayed in Azkaban if he was."

"Why not?" Harry had to wonder why Bellatrix did if she had a way out.

"Ker don't follow the laws of magic. Like others wizards and witches they receive their magical inheritance on their eighteenth birthday. However instead of just unlocking the rest of their magic and their familiar magic, their cores expand. Legends have said that magic flows through their veins. I don't know exactly what they are capable of—no one does-, but I do know that Bellatrix rarely uses her wand."

"If she is so powerful then why did she stay in Azkaban?"

"She didn't."

"What!" Harry was shocked at how high his voice could still go.

"If Regulus is your father you need to get over what you have against her. You will need training and she is the only Ker that would be able to handle you." What was Snape talking about? What other Ker; I thought the Black's were the only ones. "She is not stupid; she knew that it was safer for everyone to assume she was still in prison. After all who would know, the dementors weren't going to tell anyone."

"How do you know so much about her anyways? And what do you mean about her training me? She would probably kill me if she even saw me." He knew that was a fact. It was one of the main problems he was having concerning what he was going to do about the baby.

"We are friends, if you want to know more ask her." Snape's smirk had become downright evil. "She might curse you a little, but she wouldn't kill you." No she wouldn't want to take that from the Dark Lord.

"So why are people so afraid of Ker?"

"Potter have you not been listening? They could do anything without a wand, I have seen Bella stand in the middle of a room, not speak a single word while dueling over twenty recruits. All it takes is a thought and someone can die." Harry had never heard Snape so angry.

"Oh." He whispered. Harry took a deep breath as Snape's shoulder's relaxed.

"We need to finish the potion now." Harry was glad of the respite from the conversation.

He stood next to Snape, watching as the blood from where he sliced his palm mixed with the yellow goo and started turning purple. He didn't know if it was working, but Snape hadn't yelled at him yet so it seemed like everything was going okay.

"Did you bring the parchment paper like I told you yesterday?"

"Yeah, it's right here." Harry pulled the expensive paper from his book bag. It had cost three galleons at the stationary store in Hogsmead—which Harry had went to last night using the secret passage under Honeydukes.

"Lay it flat on the desk; make sure there is nothing on it." Harry did as he was told, his nervousness about finding out making his movements clumsy.

Snape slowly covered the entire parchment paper with the purple potion. They watched as a name was written and two lines branched from the top of it. More lines took off from those, and it continued until the paper was full. Then names began appearing.

Names that made it hard to breath .

When it finally finished, Harry was sure he was dreaming. This couldn't possibly be the truth.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry's life changes forever after the Halloween of his sixth year. As time comes to leave Hogwarts and with no one to turn to except Snape, Harry sees no other option then to trust that the other man won't take his vengeance out on a child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

The silence in the dorm wasn't peaceful for the only Gryffindor seventh year awake.

It had been two weeks since Harry had found out the truth. Two weeks since he found out that his already complicated life had become something of a joke. It was almost funny, if it wasn't so horrible.

Snape hadn't even looked at him since that night; even he seemed to think it was better to ignore the problem. Luckily for him he could just ignore Harry thus pretending that everything was the same, but Harry didn't have the convenience of taking the out of sight out of mind approach. It was like a big ugly cloud was hanging over his head and the closer to the end of the year it got, the darker it seemed to get. Something that a few months ago he was looking forward to, but now all he felt was stressed knowing what was coming.

He wished he could just forget that night ever happened. If he hadn't found out, then he wouldn't know. Harry wasn't concerned with what his future held, sure it made him sad to think about, but it also brought relief. It wasn't what would happen that bothered him; it was why it was happening. It brought back everything from December, and he had worked hard to push that to the back of his mind.

It was times like this that Harry wished he had a pensieve. He could just take the memories away; never have to see them again.

Harry's last thought before falling to sleep was that he almost wished Voldemort had killed him that night in the Ministry, things would have been so much easier if he had.

"What do you want Potter?" So that was how it was going to be.

"I need your help again." Harry really didn't even want to be there, but he had no one else he could go to.

"What do you need now, hmm? Maybe another potion, or a kidney?" He said it so seriously that Harry almost believed he actually thought it was a possibility. Harry had to wonder if he would give him a kidney if he asked; if he did it would no doubt not belong to Snape. Probably from some unsuspecting pig, or maybe even a muggle.

"No, it's something a little more personal."

"More personal than giving you a kidney?"

"Well I'm not sure how you actually rate that sort of thing, but I would think so, yes." He had tried, he really did, to keep the sarcasm from his voice, but it just wasn't possible. He still wasn't sure why Snape had started being a prick again; he had thought they had gotten past their issues, but maybe Harry was just too naïve to really understand people.

Snape still hadn't raised his head to look at Harry, something that was starting to worry him. What if Snape lied? What if he really was something disgusting and terrible, something so horrible that Snape couldn't even stand to look at him?

"What do you need this time?" He asked, and for once he sounded entirely serious.

"I want to make you executor of my will." It was something that Harry had thought about for a long time. With everything else happening, he knew that he couldn't just trust the Ministry to actually follow through with it. After all they had been responsible for his parents will, and he wasn't going to risk that happening to his child. "You don't have to of course, but I'm hoping you'll agree. I'm not sure I know anyone else I can trust to see what I want done."

"Who is the other father?" Harry was so shocked by the question that all he could do was stare. Where had that come from?

"What kind of question is that?"

"It's a very valid one. I didn't mention it before, but now I am, and I expect an honest answer." Harry still didn't understand. How did Snape not know, Harry had thought it was obvious.

"Why?"

"If the other father has creature blood then there can be dangers during the birth, but that is one of many reasons why it is better for me to know. Especially if I agree to be your executor." Harry wasn't sure if Snape deliberately misinterpreted the question, and didn't even answer that one properly, but it didn't stop his curiosity about why Snape would ask who got him pregnant.

"No why did you ask who the other father was? Don't you know?" Of course he had to know, but Harry had to wonder why he asked such a ridiculous question if he did.

"I'm not one to waste my breath on unnecessary questions Potter." That made Harry's stomach drop. Now he knew Snape was being completely serious, and it made him nauseous to think someone could think he was that sort of person.

"I've only been with one person Professor." His voice was quiet in the room.

Snape finally looked at him. Something in his eyes made Harry uneasy. The potions master had always had anger in his eyes when he looked at Harry, even after their truce, but Harry had never actually been afraid of the man. The intensity of the anger scared him.

"You came to me asking for help, against my better judgment I made you the potion. I could have lived without ever knowing what the potion showed on that parchment." He said, never once raising his voice. "Now though, you are asking for me to be responsible for something that doesn't truly concern me. All I ask is for a little piece of mind so that I know that if I do help that I won't be losing the only people I consider family, and if I do lose them over this that it was worth it. But of course precious Potter can't even answer a damn question!"

Harry had been steadily backing away from his teacher as his voice had gradually got louder. Snape hadn't stood still either, as if he couldn't help himself he had backed Harry into the wall. He was less than half a foot away when he suddenly couldn't take another intimidating step forward.

How it happened Harry wasn't sure, but as he was waiting for Snape to yell at him again he felt his glamour fall. Through the worry of what caused it to happen he didn't noticed Snape backing away from him as if struck.

"Pot—Harry what is that?"

Having noticed that Snape's voice was further away, Harry looked to see him pointing at his stomach.

"What my stomach?"Harry asked confused.

"I'm not an imbecile Potter!" Snape sneered. "Why exactly are you so big though? It's not possible."

"Huh? Of course its possible Snape, I'm pregnant." Harry was becoming worried, was there something wrong with the man?

"You shouldn't be that big already; you look at least seven months pregnant."

"That's because I am."

"Impossible." He said, except his voice betrayed his doubts.

"Why is it impossible?" Harry had a feeling this might have something to do with his earlier questions and Snape's worries.

"This isn't Draco's child; he wouldn't do something so stupid."

"Oh so this is entirely my fault?" Harry did nothing to hide the hurt from his voice. At least Harry knew now why Snape had turned back into a cruel bastard; it shouldn't have been such a surprise, after all Quidditch was the only thing that Harry seemed to be able to win at against Draco. "Or do you mean Draco wouldn't be stupid enough to get someone pregnant. Or maybe it's because he got me pregnant. It really doesn't matter, because either way this baby is still Draco's."

"Potter that is irrelevant now, that child is going to be a bastard, something Malfoy's don't allow. If you were to tell him now, he will deny it to his last breath. Especaily now."

"Why especially now? The way you make it sound, it wouldn't matter whether the Malfoy's found out now or when they're twenty." He asked. Harry was began to truly think that he had the worst luck ever, and considering how the last time he had a chat with Snape turned out, well he was just hoping it wasn't too devastating.

"Pot—Harry have you read the Prophet lately?" Snape asked hesitantly. Harry knew this was going to be something he didn't want to hear; Snape never was hesitant about anything.

"No, why what is it?" That seemed to make the man even more cautious; he was eyeing Harry like he was a skittish horse.

"His parents started arranging a marriage for him months ago." Harry was sure that it was just the unbearable cold of the dungeons finally getting to him; surely that was what was making it so hard to breath. "They let him have a choice of who his spouse would be, I was sure he told you. That's why you left him."

He found that incredibly funny for some reason, probably the irony of it all. He decided to ignore the hysterical note to it, and the tears running down his cheeks.

"Maybe he meant to but I suppose me breaking up with him for cheating on me might have upset his time line a bit." There was no doubt in Harry's mind that Draco had never meant to tell him; and he was almost positive he knew who the next Malfoy spouse would be too.

Harry had enough for one night, he had known it was a bad idea coming here, but had been his only choice. He knew now it wouldn't work though, Snape loved his godson too much and Harry wasn't going to take that from him. He would just have to hope that his baby wouldn't suffer the same fate as he had.

His hand was on the doorknob when Snape called his name; he paused reflexively.

"Harry I'll be your executor." Harry thought he would feel relief, but all he felt was sadness.

"Thank you." He said so quietly he doubted Snape even heard him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry's life changes forever after the Halloween of his sixth year. As time comes to leave Hogwarts and with no one to turn to except Snape, Harry sees no other option then to trust that the other man won't take his vengeance out on a child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

January, Sixth Year

"Oh, Merlin," he gasped, his lips lingering over the shell of Draco's ear. He shut his eyes as Draco's hands slipped past his already too tight slacks, dipping past his underwear and began to massage his ass. Harry could feel his hole puckering every time Draco's fingers grazed past the spot, causing him to bite his lip in anticipation to what he knew was coming. The only thing getting past the hazy pleasure in his mind was trying to find a way to get out of his trousers-

There was a loud knock on the door, and a curt voice on the other side. "Draco?"

Draco became motionless, his hands stopping their explorations as he let out an unsteady breath. Harry closed his eyes and quietly uttered a curse as he placed his hands on Draco's shoulders. A few seconds later, he pushed Draco off him, and Draco reluctantly complied.

As his mind began to clear, Harry slowly started to realize what he had just initiated. "That was…" Harry began unsteadily.Bloody amazing, he wanted to say but he couldn't seem to get enough air for his lungs to work properly.

"… Was a mistake," Draco finished for him, his voice perfectly neutral. Harry looked down, noticing how close they still were and sighed. "I think you need to leave now."

Draco moved away from the counter as Harry placed his feet back on the ground. Harry glanced at him, his eyes noticing how rigid Draco's stance was. "Usual time again tomorrow?"

Draco nodded frigidly. Harry put his invisibility cloak over his head and left, barely missing running into Snape who had been waiting outside the door.

The shock had worn off Harry as he made his way back to Gryffindor tower and he was flabbergasted at what he had done. He was usually so reserved. Where was his self control? He was pretty sure he had self control. He had it when it came to treacle tart, the amount of hours he spent on his Firebolt, how many books he bought by owl order…

… But now he understood, he had absolutely none when it came to Draco.

Present, July 1998

It was just four days until his eighteenth birthday. Just four days, and Harry couldn't help but feel anxious. Snape would be arriving in an hour to stay until Harry had his baby; he didn't want to risk Harry going into labor and not being able to contact him in time.

Snape had been getting antsier as his pregnancy had progressed. When Harry had asked for the man to be his executor of his will, he had no idea that Snape would go above and beyond that. He hadn't even expected anything really. But Snape had accepted and he had taken it as permission to take over making arrangements with Harry's solicitor, reviewing Harry's finances, even helping with any questions Harry had.

In the end Harry didn't say anything because it really was helping him. He had been stressed at the beginning of the summer knowing everything he had to get done by his birthday. It had been shocking to find out that his child would share the same birthday as him, but Snape had said it wasn't so surprising. When Harry asked why not, Snape had played it off as a joke, but Harry had seen the seriousness in his eyes. After questioning him about it for weeks, he had finally given up on every finding out. Maybe Snape had his reasons for not telling him, it was probably something Harry had to just trust was better left unsaid.

There had been plenty for Harry to stress about without adding to the pile. While Snape might have been handling his finances, Harry was sorting out his investments. Apparently his families had been major investors in almost every aspect of the magical world. If he hadn't inherited majority stock in a company from one family, it was highly likely he had inherited it from another one. While he owned a huge portion of the magical world, none of the businesses were what he had wanted to be able to pass on to his children.

He had always imagined finishing Hogwarts and opening his own bakery. If there was one thing he had missed from the muggle world, it was baking. Although it had been meant as punishment, Harry had always enjoyed spending the afternoon mixing batters and seeing what he could create. By the time he was eight his Aunt Petunia had stopped going to the local bakery for all of their breads and treats, instead Harry was given the responsibility. He had taken it very seriously too. The only time any of his family had encouraged or praised him was when it was concerning one of his baked goods. It was the only time he had felt like he was welcome in the Dursley home.

Plans for Diagon Alleys first ever bakery were set into motion by the third week of the summer, with Snape's input on certain things that Harry had no clue where to even begin. The building he chose was three shops down from the Leaky Cauldron. Unlike most of the other shops in Diagon Alley, it had been remodeled by the last owner.

While that had been something Harry considered a good thing when he was searching for a building, now as he sat contemplating the different swatches of fabrics and color choices he realized he had made a mistake. It had been remodeled, but it had also lost that charm that had made Harry fall in love with the alley. Now he had a dilemma. Did he want to risk isolating the Purebloods by using a more modern design, or should he stick with what everyone already knew and loved.

"What are you doing Potter?" The unexpected voice made Harry almost fall off of the couch he was sitting on.

Clearing his throat, he tried to force back the flush he could feel spreading on his cheeks. "Uh, hi. When did you get here?" Oh Merlin, he did not just squeak in front of Snape of all people.

Snape seemed to be in a better mood then when he had left the day before. His posture was much more relaxed, his sneer not as harsh as it usually was.

"I just arrived; your house elf opened the Floo for me." Huh, Kreacher actually did something nice. Harry had to wonder what that was about.

"Oh, so have you finished arranging everything with the goblins?" It was something that had been a constant worry since he found out he was pregnant. He wanted to be able leave his child knowing they weren't going to suffer the same fate as him.

"Unfortunately there was a minor delay since you won't tell me who it is you want to raise the future brat and the goblins weren't willing to leave the information from your will. I explained your extraordinary circumstances and they let it be, for a fee of course."

"I've already explained my reasoning behind that decision." Truthfully Harry didn't want Snape to not follow through with who he wanted. He knew he was worrying the man; Harry had come to that conclusion after Snape had threatened to kidnap the future Black heir if Harry had been stupid enough to make the Weasley's the child's guardian. Even Harry wasn't stupid enough to do that.

"Yes you have, and I still think it's atrociously stupid to leave your decision in a letter." But that's where Snape was wrong. It wasn't just any letter, it was a magic letter. Harry had searched for weeks in the Black library looking for a spell that would force Snape to follow his instructions, if not he would lose his magic. It was an extremely dark spell, but Harry wasn't willing to risk anything. The moment his heart stopped beating a letter was going to be sent to Snape, a compulsion charm to make sure it is opened, and everything after that depends on if Snape doesn't mind living as a muggle.

Harry didn't reply, instead he thought back to his decorating problem. In the end he went with a mixture of both ideas. If only all of his major decisions in life had been this easy.

October, Seventh Year

Harry burst into the room momentarily confused about the fact that he hadn't locked the door. "You're a coward!"

Draco turned from the window, full body tense; he reminded Harry of a lion who was waiting to strike his prey. His eyes were so intense, they resembled melted silver.

"You're not going to do this to me again. I won't let you."

Without the slightest warning, he stalked toward him. Harry's breath stuck in his throat. He was going to walk out of here and Harry didn't know if he could take it if this was the end.

He did walk past him but instead of walking out the door, he slammed it closed and locked it.

When Draco spun back around, Harry shivered in anticipation. He had no idea what Draco was thinking, what he planned to do—Harry was terrified he'd come to his senses and not do anything. Or worse yet, he would do something but still walk away.

He struggled to swallow, but Draco was suddenly so close to him that Harry couldn't even think. Not only did Draco reach for him, he went straight for the buttons on his school shirt. Instead of unbuttoning it, he split the shirt open. Harry heard the clatter of the buttons hitting the stone floor but never moved his gaze from Draco's face.

"Why can't you leave it alone?" Draco asked in a low, angry voice.

Draco undressed him as if the entire situation was just one big irritation and the cause of it was all Harry's fault. Harry would have been convinced if it wasn't for the tender touches and murmured words.

"Merlin, you're beautiful, Princess."

Tears filled his eyes at Draco's unexpected use of the nickname. He hadn't used it in so long, it was one of the reason's Harry had feared it was over. Draco had used to be so affectionate, always teasing him, always touching. He still was it was just so different—forced. But instead of the words increasing Harry's need for gentleness, they made him feel the need for reassurance, something he knew he could count on Draco to help satisfy. At least for now.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry's life changes forever after the Halloween of his sixth year. As time comes to leave Hogwarts and with no one to turn to except Snape, Harry sees no other option then to trust that the other man won't take his vengeance out on a child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Snape POV

July 31, 1998

"What can Bingy be doing for Mister Snapey?" The tiny creature looked up at me, with enormous blue eyes. It was one of the calmer house-elf's the Malfoy's had.

"Where is Narcissa?" I ask impatiently.

"Mistress is in the greenhouse, Bingy be going to get her now!" Squeaked the house-elf.

"That's unnecessary Bingy." Narcissa's said as she entered the front hall. She looked at me with a smile already on her face. "What are you doing here Severus? I wasn't expecting to see you until tonight."

"I am need of some assistance." I pause to allow her time to tell me she has plans, and maybe because I'm not sure I know how I will explain how I came to need help in the first place. When she didn't I continue. "At the end of the year I had a student approach me needing a potion."

"And you need help with what exactly? Surely you can make the potion yourself." Narcissa asked curiously.

"Of course, I had finished the potion within the week. What I need from you is, I suppose indirectly related with why he needed the potion." I state, rather desperately hoping she'll just agree so I don't have to explain any further.

"Spit it out already Severus." She sounded quite amused by the entire situation, or possibly my restless stance.

"I need your help delivering his baby!" I cry out finally allowing the panic I felt this morning when I work to screams of Harry having contractions to come through.

"What? He, a he is having a baby? And today?" I could see my own panic reflected back to me in her eyes. Unlike Harry, Narcissa could understand my panic. "Who is it? Do I know them? Of course I don't, I would have heard something about this. Everyone would have heard."

"I'm unable to tell you much right now, but you can see why I am need of you assistance. Will you help?"

"Of course!" She answered indignantly. "When do you need me?"

Clearing my throat, I begin to wonder if I should have mentioned this first. "Now."

"Now? Now? Severus Snape did you just say now?" She whispered threateningly. "If you need me now, that means the boy is fixing to have the baby. I must have heard you wrong though, because surely you didn't say that you needed me—now."

Her threatening posture was gone quickly though, replaced by a determined one. "It doesn't matter, where is he at?"

"Thank you." I say needlessly. "You'll have to do a side-along, the house is under Fidelius. I'll give you the password when we get there. " Without a word she grabbed my arm and we were gone.

"Oh my." I looked over to see Narcissa looking pale. "Grimmauld Place. What are we doing here Severus, surely…?"

"Come along." Choosing to ignore the unspoken question seemed the best choice; after all it wasn't exactly a secret about who lived here. "I've left him alone for too long already."

I could hear the harsh breathing before I even step through the doorway. I didn't realize I had stopped in relief at the sign of life, until Narcissa pushed passed me to walk inside. I wasn't fast enough to stop her before she went into the room and felt a feeling of dread enter me.

Introductions were definitely not going to go well.

I didn't have time to worry though, everything happened quickly after we arrived.

Doubts about what I had planned entered my mind at seeing how horrible the boy looked, but I couldn't allow another baby to be orphaned because of me, however indirectly this time. Instead of allowing Harry to slowly drift away like he had wanted—planned on—I had instead used the strongest stasis charm I knew.

Narcissa had of course been very curious about his state; after all even if the child had been conceived on Samhain, the delivery should not have caused him to deteriorate so quickly, or at all. I of course couldn't answer her questions, any of them. Even the ones concerning the blonde haired baby she was holding. If Harry did wake up, it was his choice to tell people what he wanted.

Things don't always go as I want though.

"Severus, there's an owl outside the window."

A flick of the wrist and the owl was soaring over and dropping a letter in my hand. It was clearly from Gringotts, no one could mistake their crest, but the question was why they were sending a letter now—in the middle of the night.

Professor Snape,

This letter is on behalf of Mister Harry Potter. It was his wish to not have you know his choice of guardian for his child until he had his final breath after delivering his child. He had provided us with the information, along with his choice of names. If it is a girl, he wishes for her to be called Sophia Annabelle Malfoy. If it is a boy, he wishes for him to be called Adrian Dominique Malfoy. He had also chosen the Malfoy's as the child's guardian.

He had explained that you would not be very happy with this decision, so he thought it wise to have his explanation present also. He said that although they spoiled their first child, he was also loved. That was all he wanted, that they would be loved no matter what. He also hoped that you would be a part of the child's life.

If you have any questions, please contact the Head Goblin.

Best Regards,

Griphook

Potter Accountant Manager

He had said that he wanted no mention of who the father was, so what in Merlin's name was the boy doing? It was one thing to let the Malfoy's be the guardians—something Harry was absolutely correct about was his view on that choice—but to actually give the child their surname. Again what was he thinking?

"What is it Severus? You look even paler than normal."

I look up at her; she's still holding the baby. I can tell she wanted to ask something, maybe why the child looked so much like her son when he was born, or why he was there in the first place, or one of the millions of other things that I wished I didn't know the answer to.

"It's a letter from Gringotts; apparently the brat gave them a letter to send when he died."

"But he's not dead."

"No, the idiot told them to send it when he stopped breathing, not actually dead. I never said he was smart." The usual edge is missing from my voice though. Harry hadn't even had a little bit of hope that he wouldn't die. It implied things that I didn't want to think about right now.

"Well what does it say?" She asked.

"Sophia Annabelle Malfoy." I simply say. Her reaction will be very telling, and I don't really want to mention that she's the proud new guardian of her own grandchild.

"What?" Narcissa yelled shocked, consequently scaring the baby. When she was finishing soothing the child she repeated her question, much calmer this time.

"That is the child's name." I say. I'm still a little shocked myself.

"How? Why? Why would he give his daughter our surname? Surely Lucius didn't… did he?" She whispered scandalized. I couldn't help it after such a ridiculous question, I started laughing. My reaction didn't seem to please her very much either if her glare was anything to go by. "That's enough! Why would Harry Potter of all people name their child that?"

I stopped laughing, but I still couldn't find this conversation funny. Lucius? Really? "No Narcissa, not Lucius, the very thought is too ridiculous to be taken seriously. There is one other male in your home though that could be responsible." She gasps as if the idea just crossed her mind and looks down at Sophia, I guess to try and find a connection to her precious son. "Oh, and his name isn't Potter." I add dismissively.

She's silent still, so I start cleaning up the room, leaving her with her thoughts.

"What is it then?" She asked quietly sometime later.

"Excuse me?"

"If his name isn't Potter, then what is it? It's not Malfoy is it? Draco wouldn't have—well I guess I don't know the answer to that anymore." She asked sadly, reminding me of my earlier remark.

"I don't know if it was ever Potter." I answer hesitantly. "It wasn't a pregnancy potion that he had come to me for Narcissa. You know very well that the Potter's don't have creature blood, so how do you think he was able to get pregnant?" I ask rhetorically. "Oh and let's not forget Lily. The cleverest muggle-born Hogwarts had ever seen. He didn't get the ability from her. So who did he get it from?"

"Who was it Severus?" She asks, but I think she already started guessing. I'm sure she wasn't far from the truth either.

"Oh, but Narcissa dear, it wouldn't have mattered if Lily had been with Potter." She opens her mouth to ask something but I don't let her. "Because the smartest witch of our year was no muggle-born, how could she be when she was a Rosier?"

"No." She gasps horrified. Looking at Harry, pity visible in her eyes.

"Oh yes." I say back, still horrified at the information that I learned just three months ago. "Don't have a fit yet, you haven't heard the best part." I feel bad for giving her so much shocking information at once, but I haven't even told her all of it yet.

"There's more!"

"He's a Black." The answer was short and sweet, and the glare from Narcissa was warning enough that she just waiting for her chance to curse me.

"Sirius? Of course it's Sirius! Who else?" She said thinking out loud. Then she looked back at me, seeing my carefully blank face, and seemed to reconsider her answer. "Not Sirius then. Who?"

"Bellatrix." I deadpan.

"Severus! If you don't stop acting like a complete arse then I'm going to hex you into the next century!"

"Fine! It was Regulus!" I snarl, finally fed up with telling someone else's secrets.

"No! It's impossible!"

"Why? Why is it impossible? I said the same thing when Harry told me he was pregnant, and look how impossible that was." I say sarcastically.

"The Rosier's though, the Black's could never have children with them. It's impossible. Our blood wouldn't mix." She says completely serious. "Someone had finally created a potion to figure out why a few centuries ago, and it had something to do with our creature blood and their curse. I'm not surprised you don't know, it's a family secret. "

"Obviously something voided out the problem. Maybe Lily's other line?" I question, hoping she knows. Otherwise a problem that I thought was complicated—finding a way for Harry to live—just turned extremely complicated.

She got a thoughtful look on her face. "I don't know, maybe. After a while they just stopped marrying into the other family, so maybe the reason for the infertility doesn't matter anymore. Who is the other family Severus?"

I smirk; because I know this time she will throw a fit. "You might want to put the child down first." I can see the unasked question written across her face. "Don't ask, just do what I said first."

She sets the child down in the bassinet that Harry had purchased just last week, and turned expectantly back to me. "So."

"Lily Rosier, known as Lily Evans, was the illegitimate child of Henrietta Rosier and Tom Marvolo Riddle, better known as the Dark Lord Voldemort."

Her face was hilarious. Somewhere between scared, horrified, bemused, and amused. Very similar to my reaction, I'm sure.

"What? Are you serious? Does he even know?"

"Who? Harry or the Dark Lord?" I ask, a little perplexed at the question. Of all the things to ask, that's what she came up with?

"Both, Harry, the Dark Lord." She still looked like she still wasn't able to process what I had told her. I still wasn't sure if I had either, and I've known about it for months.

"Harry knows; he had seen the potion results. The Dark Lord, well I don't know, and if he doesn't know, I don't want to be the one to tell him."

"Yes, let's leave that to someone else." She pauses, and looks at her granddaughter. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"About what?" I ask confused.

"That he was pregnant with my grandchild. That Draco was with Harry at all. That he's a Black. Any of it, all of it. Just why?" She looks back up, and there's tears streaming down her face. "Am I such a horrible person, that my oldest friend can't even trust me?"

"Narcissa, you know that has nothing to do with it." I say softly. "Draco had asked me to wait to tell you after I found out because he said he wasn't ready for you and Lucius to know yet. The things concerning Harry though, those were his to tell, and I honestly didn't know he was making you and Lucius the guardians."

"The guardians? Of Sophia?" I hadn't meant to say that, but it looks like this evening was filled with a lot of things I hadn't meant to say.

"Yes, that was what the letter from Gringott's was about."

"Oh."

"Narcissa, I think you should go home and get some sleep, talk to your husband about all of this." We had already missed the meeting, and people were probably wondering where we were. "You can come back tomorrow."

She's nodding her head, but still staring at Sophia. "Yes, your right." She looks up and the tears from earlier are gone but her red eyes are evidence enough. "I'll be back tomorrow morning. If you have any problems, just floo. Aunt Walberga used to have an elf, Kreacher, I think; he should know what to do with Sophia too."

"Of course and thank you for coming earlier; I don't know what I would have done without your assistance."

"It was no problem Severus, very enlightening in fact." She kisses my check as she puts on her cloak. "I'll explain your absence at the meeting. Oh and Severus—"

"Yes." I say, not liking the look in Narcissa's eye.

"If you ever keep anything concerning my family from me again, I'll kill you."


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry's life changes forever after the Halloween of his sixth year. As time comes to leave Hogwarts and with no one to turn to except Snape, Harry sees no other option then to trust that the other man won't take his vengeance out on a child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

One Month Later, August 1998

Draco's POV

The Manor is surprisingly—cheery? Mother must have gone on one of her cleaning rampages; meaning Father must have done something again. Looking around, he notices that it wasn't just clean, it was—well different. Something had changed since he had left.

The house didn't feel so dark and foreboding; something that he could only remember from when he was a child.

"I'm home!" He yelled hoping his mother heard him, he didn't feel up to looking all over the Manor right now.

Unfortunately, she didn't come running to greet him like usual; which meant she either wasn't here, or was angry about something. If she was here, she was probably in the garden. Since he wanted to freshen up before finding her, he headed to his room.

As he came closer to his room he started hearing someone singing quietly. Unless his Aunt Bella was here then he didn't know who it could be. The voice though wasn't singing crazy versions of nursery rhythms; no it was singing a lullaby. In fact it sounded like his mother. But why would his mother be singing a lullaby, he didn't think they knew anyone with a baby. His mother wasn't one to watch someone else's child either.

Pushing open the door to the room that the sound was coming from, he spots his mother holding a blonde baby in the rocking chair from his nursery and singing softly. It made him pause. That baby had Malfoy hair. Had his mother been pregnant and not told him?

"Oh Harry, good your back. Sophia was becoming fussy again; we might need to go to St. Mungo's just in case." Her voice was low so she wouldn't upset the baby, Sophia apparently, but when he still didn't answer she looked up and froze.

Draco wasn't sure what to think. The only Harry he had known his entire life was Potter, but there was no way his mother was talking about him. So who was Harry? A lover? Whose child was she holding? Another surprise was the fact that she didn't expect him; she always was waiting anxiously for his return no matter if he was supposed to arrive that day or not. Logically he knew it had to be because of the baby, but he wasn't in the mood to be very logical right now. It looked like he wasn't the only one keeping secrets.

"Not Harry." He said hoping he didn't sound as lost as he felt.

His voice seemed to snap her out of her shock and she stood up, probably to come hug him, but the she looked down realizing she was still holding Sophia. "Draco, your home early." She said uneasily.

Well sorry Mother, Blaise decided that he was tired of hearing my whining and wanted to leave. Oh, that would definitely go over well. "A beach can only be entertaining for so long." Especially if you only go to the beach a whole two times during the two months your there.

He was tired of not knowing what was going on. "Who's the baby Mother?" He asked harshly. Maybe a little bit too callously if the flinch his mother gave was any indication. Or maybe it really was her child and she felt guilty for keeping it from him.

She gave him a small, forced smile. "This is Sophia. She lives here now."

So she was a Malfoy. Father wouldn't have let Mother's lover's child live here. That only meant that she had been pregnant before and hadn't told him. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Now she looked even more uncomfortable, which sort of made absolutely no sense. He knew now, so why was she still so tense about the whole thing.

Instead of answering him, she laid the baby into the bassinet by the rocking chair. The bassinet was one that he hadn't seen before. His had been made of a darker wood and there had been no pink letters on it. The closer he looked; it looked like the words were a name. He could clearly see Sophia but the next word was too blurry.

"Come Draco, we have much to talk about." As he follows his mother out the door, he looks one last time at the baby trying to figure out why her magic felt so familiar, yet different.

Two weeks after having Sophia

Harry's POV

My body felt so heavy. Did I die? Psh. Of course I died; it was in my blood to die. Well sort of. Professor Trelawney probably would have said it was written in the stars or some other equally ridiculous thing, maybe she even read it in my leaves one day.

I refuse to open my eyes though. Right now I'm going to be in limbo and enjoy it. Forget about why I died, forget about what I left behind, and forget everything.

Limbo doesn't stop the outside world from invading my little bubble of peace though. I can hear someone moving around. Was it Death, or the Devil, no I bet it was a Grim Reaper. Wait! If I'm dead that means I can see my parents, Sirius, other dead people I don't know about, and maybe I can meet Merlin. That would be great, awesome even. Draco would be so jealous. Expect I don't care about what stupid Malfoy feels.

The noise is louder than before. It sounds like bottles clinking or something.

"I know you're awake." I freeze. No way! I'm dead, so he can't be here. He was supposed to make sure everything turned out okay. I'll kill the stupid bastard!

I slowly open my eyes, because the light hurts them and they're really heavy. When I finally have them all the way open I turn my head—which also is heavy and hurting—to see Snape standing next to a table that has potions supplies all over it. "I'm going to kill you!"

"Welcome back and no need to thank me for saving your life." He glares right back at me and it intensifies with every stupid sarcastic word out of his mouth.

"Why should I thank you for nothing? I'm dead! You interrupted my peaceful limbo time. That's not why I'm going to kill you though! Oh, no that's because you're dead and now my baby is going to end up with some horrible family and be starved!" I yell at him, hoping he forgives me in a minute and gives me some water. All of the yelling was hurting my dry throat. "So yeah, I'm going to kill you when I don't hurt so badly." I nod so he knows that I'm done talking. I really hope he gives me water.

"If I'm dead, then how are you going to kill me hmm? Actually I would like to hear why you think you're dead in the first place." He says in that you're really stupid and need a brain transplant voice that he used to talk to Neville in.

"Well I'll chop off your head, and then even if it doesn't kill you off again, I won't have to hear you insulting me all the time." I tell him completely serious, well sort of. I don't know if I could actually cut off someone's head cause that could be really messy. The insults part might actually be the only positive thing about the scenario, but he doesn't need to know that. "I know I'm dead though because I'm hurting everywhere, and you told me that I was cursed remember. Not having someone love me sort of killed me off." I shrug hoping he believes my blasé attitude about it. I doubt he will though, he didn't before, and his hideous personality didn't seem to improve with death either.

"I would like to see you try to even scratch me." He's smirking, the stupid smug bastard. "I might be going out on a limb here, but don't you think that if you were dead you wouldn't be feeling anything?"

"Of course I would! I'm in hell; I'm supposed to be suffering. Being in pain equals suffering. I just wish suffering didn't have to include you being here too." He still thinks I'm alive, I can tell. It might be from his you're an idiot stare, or well no that might be the only reason. "How did you end up here anyways?  
You were supposed to make sure my b-baby was okay!" My voice cracks when I mention my baby that I never even got to hold. I turn away from him so he won't see that I started crying. I'm not a girl; I need to suck it up.

"Sophia is perfectly safe and healthy." I look back at him, not caring that he's seeing me crying, he's seen a lot worse by now. "Narcissa has been looking after her for the last two weeks." Relief like nothing I've ever felt flows through me.

I smile at him, a true smile. Even if I can't be there I know she'll be looked after. "So I had a girl? What does she look like? Does she look anything like me?" Rambling out the questions as fast as I could think of them. Snape didn't even seem mad either, just confused.

"I'll answer your questions, and then you'll answer a few of mine. But after that you need to rest, your energy and magic levels are still low." I nod, playing along with me being alive. Maybe Snape had been tortured before he died and went insane. Yeah, that's what probably happened. "Yes, you have a daughter. She's small with curly blonde hair and your green eyes."I smile sadly. Green eyes seem like a curse more than anything; they always leave you an orphan. "Although she has blonde hair, there are more than a few that think she takes after you." What did that mean? More than a few… had they told people who the carrier was? Why? Now Sophia will be targeted. "Now you tell me why you named her Malfoy, and made the Malfoy's her guardians. The entire answer, not just what you sent in that letter either."

"You tell me first what you meant by more than a few people thought she looks like me. They were never supposed to know who I was!"

Snape gives me a dark look, probably because I yelled at him. But I don't care, that's my baby. "The only ones who know are her family, and of course I know." I didn't like the way he said her family. Why did it have to sound so foreboding? "Now answer my questions."

I look away again. "I wanted her to know where she came from." There was more to it of course. Maybe a foolish hope that Draco would start questioning things and step up and be her father was a part of it too. "When we were at school, Draco received a package from home every week no matter what. Even when the war started, his mother always sent him something. It wasn't just that though. It was how Draco always talked about his mum and dad. His eyes would light up in happiness, and you could just tell he had a good childhood. I wanted that for my baby, and them being her grandparents was an added bonus." I say quietly.

"He did have a good childhood." Was his only response, but it was enough. It told me he was okay with my choice. I doubt he was when he found out, but that's okay too because it wasn't his decision to make.

I close my eyes when he doesn't say anything else. He was right, I was still tired. Funny since I didn't think dead people slept. Maybe he was right, maybe I wasn't dead. I smile picturing Snape's face after saying he was right and I was wrong. I know I'm right though, so I don't have to worry about that happening.

"Snape."

"What?"

"Get me some water." Then I hastily add. "Please."

"Fine, but go to sleep."

I smile again, because he didn't sound angry. "Okay sir. Night."

A quiet, "Goodnight." Reaches my ears as I fall asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry's life changes forever after the Halloween of his sixth year. As time comes to leave Hogwarts and with no one to turn to except Snape, Harry sees no other option then to trust that the other man won't take his vengeance out on a child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Draco's POV

He watched his mother as she called a house elf and order tea. Then continued to watch as she fixed each of them a cup and sat staring at him with an expression he had never seen on her face before. During all of this he couldn't do anything but watch his mother, hoping he would receive answers soon.

"Draco before we talk about Sophia, is there anything you would like to tell me?" She lifted the cup of tea up, as if to take a drink, but it remained positioned in front of her mouth, something that he knew meant she was hiding her expressions. He wanted to know why she felt she needed to revert to her childhood training with her own son. "Anything at all?"

There were plenty of ways he could answer that question, but none of them that he wanted to admit to his mother. "No, nothing comes to mind." Even with the tea cup hovering he still saw a frown flicker on her face, then disappear. Did she know something already? "Mother I would really like to talk about the baby."

There was just something about the baby that he was drawn to, and if she was a Malfoy—which with her hair she undoubtedly was—then he wanted to know why he wasn't told about her sooner.

His mother's face suddenly became very serious. "Draco you know that your Father and I will always love you?" Seeing that she needed confirmation for the odd question he nodded his head. He hoped he wasn't going to get a speech about them not forgetting about him because he had a younger sibling; he was eighteen not eight. "Then could you please explain to me why you thought we wouldn't understand?"

Draco couldn't help but frown at the odd question. "Understand what Mother? What does this have to do with that baby?" There was obviously something he didn't understand about what she was trying to tell him.

She looked away, finally lowering the tea cup. "Draco when I found out I was pregnant with you I was so happy, as was your Father. We had already begun losing hope of ever having a child, the healers said that something was wrong, but they never could find out what." Draco had never known any of this, never thought about it really, but that was only natural; but to think he almost was born was disconcerting. "When you were born, you were the most delightful child. Always smiling, laughing. Even Severus couldn't resist your charms." She looked at him, a small smile on her face, but her eyes looked sad.

He laughed softly. "He still has trouble with that."

"Yes he does, he has always adored you." His godfather might be a very stoic man, but he had always been there for Draco. He knew how much Severus cared for him. "As you grew older you were still so sweet—stop glaring darling, it will give you wrinkles—as I was saying, you were sweet but once you went to Hogwarts you changed."

Draco looked down; he couldn't help but feel ashamed, like he had disappointed his parents somehow. "Why are you telling me all of this?" He still didn't understand, especially if this was his sibling, why any of this would matter.

"It is something I need to say, not necessarily for you but for myself, so humor your old Mother please."

He snorted. "I will listen, but you can hardly call yourself old." Especially if that is my sister.

She smirked at him. "As I was saying, you changed. Gone was the carefree boy who only cared about playing with his dragon collection and flying on his broom, in his place came home someone who was so focused."

"What do you mean?" He didn't remember coming home different.

"You spent less time playing with your precious dragons and instead took to reading potions books. Of course nothing could keep you away from your beloved broom." She stopped to take another drink, this time he didn't think it was deliberately to cover up her frown, after all she had freely been showing him throughout the rest of the conversation. "Then there was of course your other focus." She gave him a pointed look.

She was right about the potions and flying, but he had no idea what the other focus he supposedly had was.

"Of course you had spoken of him before, especially after we went to get your supplies, but it was nothing like that summer."

Draco forced himself to remain calm. "What? Who are you talking about?"

His acting skills were apparently not up to par since his mother just laughed almost dismissively. "Who are you trying to fool darling, I am after all your Mother. Do not think me to be deceived by your supposed ignorance." Her entire attitude suddenly changed, her posture became like when he was young and was being scolded.

"I am sorry Mother." He hoped that she could hear the honesty in his voice. He hated upsetting his mother. "I honestly do not know who you are talking about."

His apologize didn't seem to appease, if anything it seemed to have darkened her mood. "I will give you one more chance Draco Malfoy to answer me correctly and stop lying to me!" Her voice had never wavered from her normally soothing quality, but he heard the harsh undertone, something he had only heard once directed at him when he was fifteen and had been caught drinking his father's best wine.

"I assume you want me to say Harry Potter then." He answered back rather tonelessly. This was something—someone—he had no desire to discuss.

"You are correct dear."

"What does this have to with that—with him? I thought this was supposed to be about how there came to be a baby with Malfoy hair upstairs? Or is this about something else, because I'm very tired and if we're not going to discuss what I can only assume is my sister then I want to go to sleep." He knew he would get a lecture later from his father for being disrespectful, but his mother was opening wounds that weren't even fully closed and he truly was tired.

His mother slowly put the tea cup on the table, flattened down her robes, and then sat staring at him. Draco tried not to fidget but it was difficult with him being the focus of her intense eyes. "Fine, if that is how you would like this conversation to go, then I will be as direct as possible." Draco breathed a sigh of relief at finally getting answers, until she spoke again, and he froze. "You will not be marrying that boy."

"What?" He whispered in disbelief.

"Nothing is wrong with your hearing Draco, you heard me perfectly fine. You will stop seeing him or you can consider yourself on your own."

"What!" He repeated in disbelief, but nowhere near a whisper. Draco could still not understand the connection between any of this and the baby upstairs.

"I'm not repeating myself again." She said with finality, giving no explanation of the demand. "Now on to Sophia."

"So that is her name, not very Malfoy if you ask me."

"That would be because we did not name her."

His mother was obviously hoping he would figure this out on his own considering she wasn't providing more information than necessary; an annoying trick she had used throughout his childhood. "Then who did?"

"Her parent of course and before you ask, I will not tell you who. As far as I'm concerned you do not deserve to know." She said coldly. She was obviously mad at him, but he had no idea what he could have done.

"Where are her parents?"

She smirked at him in amusement. "They both live here." She admitted.

"Just to make sure I understand completely, you and Father are not the parents."

The question made her smile, but it wasn't very friendly, actually it reminded Draco of his Aunt Bellatrix. "Of course not dear." She picked her teacup back up and took another drink.

"That makes no sense Mother! No one lives here but us and if you and Father are not her parents then who else could be?" He asked frustrated.

She let out a sharp laugh, the creepy smile still firmly in place. "Are you entirely sure that we are the only residents of the manor? After all you have been gone so long."

Clearly she was beyond angry with him about something; something to do with the baby.

Draco couldn't take playing the silly games any longer, he was getting nowhere and he knew he would end up lashing out at his Mother, something he would never allow. He needed to know. "Forgive me for being disrespectful Mother, but I'm done going back and forth. I'm tired and I don't want to take my anger out on you, so can you please just get to the point of all of this and explain."

Her smile disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared, a blank look replaced it. "Are you sure you want to know? There's still the option of leaving and never returning." She was calm but sad. She clearly didn't want him to leave, so why was she offering him something that neither of them wanted.

"I will stay." Draco stated with conviction, just the thought of leaving his childhood home and parents were frightening. "Now will you please tell me?"

She smiled at him again, this time with a sadness that he didn't understand. He was staying shouldn't she be happy? "I have told you I will not reveal one of Sophia's parents, but that does not mean I will not tell you the other."

Draco frowned, what would it matter if he was told both. If she was willing to tell him one though, that would give him some idea who the other was. "Okay." He easily agreed, at least she was telling him something.

She stood from her chair and joined him on the sofa, holding his hand, something she used to do when he was agitated as a child. Her eyes stared straight into his, maybe hoping to comfort him. "We did not keep this from you to hurt you. It was merely easier to get everyone settled before we contacted you."

Instead of reassuring him, she just made him tenser. "What are you trying to say?"

"The child is a Malfoy, but not your Father's." She sounded sympathetic, but he couldn't focus enough to notice.

He had known. Of course he had. The moment he saw her, he felt the connection. He had hoped it was a sibling, a sister, something he had hoped and begged for his entire childhood. He had forced away the other option, not even wanting to contemplate it. Then of course his Mother had ruined his illusion by making him have this unnecessary conversation. Maybe he should have left; he still could. Except he couldn't, not when he knew exactly what his Mother was insinuating with her reminiscing. She was right of course, he wasn't stupid, he had felt the dread the entire time, but he had hope. Hope that she would lie, tell him that was his sister, he finally had a sibling. He knew she wouldn't have though; his Mother was always honest with him.

He hadn't realized he was crying till he felt her hand wiping them away. He looked up intending to give her a thankful smile, but movement caught his eye.

Turning to look, Draco froze, barely managing to whisper one word before his world went black.

"Harry."


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry's life changes forever after the Halloween of his sixth year. As time comes to leave Hogwarts and with no one to turn to except Snape, Harry sees no other option then to trust that the other man won't take his vengeance out on a child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Harry POV

August 2nd, 1998

Draco laid Harry down on the bed. Harry clung to him. "Stay, Draco. Need you to stay." Harry kissed his face, from cheek to neck. And then Harry bit him, just hard enough to draw red to the skin. Just enough to break Draco's resolve.

Draco pressed Harry into the bed, kissing him back. Harry's legs wrapped around him and Draco shuddered. He could feel Harry hard against his bellybutton, rutting.

"Okay. Wait." Draco inched away barely as Harry licked over his lips, just the barest of touch and about the sexiest thing Draco had ever felt. He closed his eyes.

"I know you think I'm drunk," Harry kissed him between words. "But I'm -"

"-drunk," Draco finished for him. "I love you but I have to go, it's almost curfew."

"I love you, too." Harry petted his face, fondness written all over his eyes and lips.

"Tell me again when you're sober." Draco worked open Harry's fly and took hold of Harry's cock, the weight familiar in his hand. Without taking his eyes off of Harry's, Draco jerked him off. Then he cleaned him up and kissed him again, softer, slower. "Go to sleep. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Shh, shh Sophia, you don't want to wake Daddy do you?" Harry heard a woman whisper soothingly. The baby's cries calmed and sleep tempted him back to his dreams. "That's a good girl. Your Daddy is going to be so proud of you when he wakes up."

A door opened, and then there were footsteps in the room. "Any change?" A man asked.

"No, he's still unresponsive. It hasn't been very long, so no need to worry." The woman answered.

"I was not worrying." The man replied.

Harry heard the woman laugh quietly before he once again was dreaming.

August 5th, 1998

Harry once again woke to a woman's voice, but this time it was to her singing a lullaby. He slowly opened his eyes, everything was blurry and his eyes were heavy. He waited until she was finished singing before trying to speak; he needed to find out where he was.

"T-hat," he stopped to clear his throat, it was dry from disuse. He tried again. "T-hat was beautiful."

There was movement, Harry could see the woman standing from a chair and laying something behind her, and then she was next to him. "Oh good you're awake. Severus has been worried sick."

It was a relief to know that Snape was here somewhere, but everything was still too blurry to see who was talking to him.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Harry started coughing, his throat was parched. "C-can I get s-some water please." He asked between his coughs.

"Of course, let me call a house-elf. Dotty!" There was a pop and another shape materialized. "Bring a glass of water please and tell Severus that Harry is awake."

"Yes Mistress." Another pop signaled Harry to Dotty leaving, but seconds later there was another pop and a familiar voice saying, "Here is the water Mistress. I be telling Snapey and he is being on his way."

"Thank you Dotty." With a pop the house-elf was gone once again. "Let me help you with the water, Severus should be here soon and we can discuss what's been going on while you were asleep."

Harry gratefully let the woman help him drink the water. It felt great on his throat; he was thirstier then he thought and ended up gulping the water down. Just as he finished, the door opened and a blurry figure walked to the other side of the bed Harry had been sleeping in.

Harry watched as the big blob of black got closer to him, "Snape?"

"Yes," replied the potions master, "are you in pain?"

Harry shook his head, "No, well my throat still feels like I swallowed some sand, but other than that no." Harry swallowed, hating to have to even ask such a thing, but needing to the answer regardless. "Why, how am I still alive?"

Snape sneered, for all the good it did since Harry couldn't see him. "Did you truly believe that I would allow you to leave your daughter an orphan?"

Harry glared in the blob's direction, "She wouldn't have been an orphan, the Malfoys take care of their own, and have you forgotten that she has another parent that would have been alive?"

"No, I merely don't think he deserves the title."

"Well too bad for you, because I do."

"Enough," the woman said, "the point is moot now anyways. Harry, you asked how you are alive, the answer is simple, Severus used a very powerful stasis charm, and you latched onto Sophia instead of a bonded mate. Thus allowing you to live." She made no mentions of all of the potions Severus had injected or the few times they weren't sure he would make it, he had no need to know any of that. The only thing that matter was that he was awake.

"Oh," Harry said dumbly for lack anything better to say and then asked, "who are you?"

Narcissa chuckled, "How foolish of me, I'm sorry Harry, I forgot the only time we've talked was while you were screaming in pain and you might not recognize my voice."

"Mrs. Malfoy?" Harry blurted before she could continue. Had she been singing to Sophia?

"Yes dear."

"Is-is Sophia here?" Harry softly asked. "Was that who you were singing to earlier?"

Narcissa smiled at him. "Yes, she's over in her crib right now. Do you want to hold her?"

Harry cleared his throat. "Please."

She went and retrieved Sophia from her crib, smiling softly at her granddaughter whose big green eyes blinked sleepily at her. She carefully handed the baby to Harry who held her like she would shatter at the gentlest touch. She didn't mention the tears falling down his face.

Harry couldn't see his daughter very well, just a patch of white which had to be her hair, and a bigger spot of pink which was probably the soft blanket he felt, but he didn't need to see her to know she was the most beautiful baby ever.


End file.
